As you can see from this post, sometimes we’ll start with a vague cliche and then wrap it up with a really meaningful point. I say that a little ironically.  Search is often like that where there is a cliche or there is a sentiment that people have heard and bring that with them to the table. We just have to do the meta tags or we have to write about the keywords and title the pages with keywords. With SEO, yes you need to do many of the basic tasks, but you should be aware that search engine optimization like any consulting relationship requires both parties involved to come to the table prepared to work and work out issues. There are always certain esthetic and ego based issues that will drive the look and feel of a website – the founder’s favorite color or the managing partners recent presentation – but the key thing is that esthetic concerns are important only to a point and you should arrive at the best optimized site with the help of your SEO vendor and that if you work together you can both bask and share in the glory of the results together.